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29 July: The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

29 Jul 2022
By Isabella Keith
Parliament House At Dusk, Canberra ACT Source: Thennicke https://bit.ly/2ZsyTT3

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Wong’s statement on Myanmar, Australia co-hosts the 2022 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense conference in Sydney, Brad William to be Australia’s new Consul-General and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for New Zealand and the Pacific, and more.

On 26 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong issued a statement noting that “Australia is appalled by the execution of four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar and strongly condemns the actions of the Myanmar military regime.” She further stated that “Australia opposes the death penalty in all circumstances” and that “sanctions against members of Myanmar’s military regime are under active consideration.” Wong also issued a joint statement alongside her counterparts from the European Union, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United Sates, “condemning the military regime’s execution of pro-democracy and opposition leaders in Myanmar.” The statement further noted that the executions “are reprehensible acts of violence that further exemplify the regime’s disregard for human rights and the rule of law.”

From 25 to 27 July, Australia co-hosted the 2022 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense conference in Sydney, alongside the United States. Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus J. Campbell, AO, DSC jointly held the event with Commander U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral John C.  Aquilino. General Campbell stated that “Australia is honoured to co-host the 2022 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense conference with the United States.” During the conference, the leaders hosted a joint press conference where they “underscored the deep relationship between Australia and the United States and discussed the growing importance of force posture cooperation, including Marine Rotational Force Darwin and Enhanced Air Cooperation.”

Minister for Trade Don Farrell announced the appointment of Brad Williams as Australia’s Consul-General and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for New Zealand and the Pacific on 27 July. Williams was previously Chief Executive Officer at Australian Logistics Council. Farrell noted that New Zealand “is one of the top ten investors in Australia” and that “two-way trade was valued at $23.7 billion in 2020.”

Farrell issued a statement on 25 July on the appointment of John Hopkins as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Export Finance Australia (EFA), Australia’s export credit and overseas infrastructure financing agency. Hopkins previously held “senior leadership roles in Sydney, London, and New York with Westpac, Goodman Group and National Australia Bank.”

Isabella Keith is a weekly columnist for Australian Outlook. She is also an undergraduate student at the Australian National University studying Law and Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Isabella’s research interests include international law and comparative constitutional law.

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